This week, you will synthesize what you have learned about the Impressionists, the Post-Impressionists and the Symbolists by visiting the Met Museum and examining paintings and sculptures by the artists associated with these styles of art to begin or complete the Met Museum Assignment #1. (This assignment is due at the beginning of our next class #6.)
Auguste Rodin is an important sculptor who had a long and complex career running parallel to the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. The Met has an extensive collection of works by Rodin and one question on the Met Museum #1 assignment will use an important sculpture by the artist.
Read the Met’s essay about Rodin: LINK: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rodn/hd_rodn.htm When reading the Met’s essay about him, focus on taking the shortest, most efficient but effective notes, by summarizing and distilling the content to as little information as possible. Note the titles of only the artworks that seem to be the most important and keep your bullet points of notes to individual words and short phrases.
For example, my notes for the first paragraph would say only this: Paris born, 1840; traditionally trained, rejected from Ecole-des Beaux Arts (traditional art school)
With this information, and knowing Rodin is the first modern sculptor, I now have a brief sense that although he is classically trained, his style is going to defy tradition.
- Read essay on smarthistory.org about Rodin’s The Burghers of Calais. LINK: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/avant-garde-france/avant-garde-sculpture/a/rodin-the-burghers-of-calais
- Watch video on smarthistory.org about Rodin’s The Gates of Hell. LINK: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/avant-garde-france/avant-garde-sculpture/v/rodin-the-gates-of-hell-1880-1917
Met Museum Assignment: Read over the entire assignment and information about the museum before your visit. Do last week’s Post-Impressionism and Symbolism readings or review your notes on them and do the Rodin readings before your visit. Met-Museum-Assignment #1 (Word) contains 3 short answer questions to be completed after visiting the Met Museum and seeing artworks in person that relate to the artists and styles discussed so far this semester. This assignment is due next week; typed, 12-point font, single-spaced/outline form for question 1 and double-spaced paragraphs of text for questions 2 and 3 with each answer numbered consecutively. Refer to the artworks in your answers by artist’s name, artwork’s title and the date, but DO NOT include images with your answers. Proofread, spell-check and review your material thoroughly before turning it in. Points will be deducted for poor grammar and spelling mistakes that should be avoided by proofreading and using spell-check.
For class next week – summary of the 2 required thing to do:
- Read and review the material on the sculptor Rodin. Catch up on Symbolism and Post-Impressionism, if necessary.
- Visit the Met Museum, complete the museum assignment, type up your answers, proofread your work, and print it to turn in at the beginning of class #6 next week. No late papers or papers brought to class after class had ended will be accepted.
Remember / FYI: The powerpoints and the Met Museum assignment is available on Blackboard.
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